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I think he would strive to be like Professor Sprout and Professor Lupin, most likely his two favorite teachers. Both Professors gave him more confidence in his own abilities. He would try to have a fun, hands-on class (wait, he kind of has to ) while still actually teaching.

He would try to make memorable moments in his class to help his students remember what they learned. For example, let's say that James Jr. got bitten by a plant, and while he was swearing Professor Longbottom explained to the class what he did to get bitten. Then later on the test, if he asked what you can do to not be bitten by said plant, all the students would remember that day that James was bitten.

He has to give homework, and he knows that. He would go for the happy medium, though. He would most likely remember that the professors liked to assign homework like that was the only class. Therefore, he wouldn't assign as much homework as the rest of the professors, but he would still require decent-length essays.

I agree with BlackHairedWeasley. Neville isn't naÔve. He would probably try to be very lenient in the beginning, just because he doesn't want to be the mean teacher that no one likes. However, he would see quite quickly that that wouldn't work, and he would crack down on the problems that arose from his experiment. That's basically what teaching is for awhile, an experiment. So, like LunarEclipse said, he's going to know who to trust. It may not make him the fairest teacher of the bunch, but he'll know he's doing the right thing.

I disagree, the other professors went to Hogwarts and they still give a lot of homework. I think that Neville will see that the professors are only giving them the homework to better the students. I don't think he'll grade that hard though.

Neville would be a great teacher. He has the kindness and the bravery to be a good teacher. Kindness to be kind to the students, and not go off on them, unless it's a slytherin who he knows the family. Bravery to stand up to the slytherin's and to hand out punishments to any wrongdoers, even though he doesn't want to.

Whoever said something about teachers and the amount of homework. I disagree, I have and English teacher that doesn't give that much homework and he's a great teacher. Now, my Chem and Physics teacher also doesn't give that much homework and he's a horrible teacher. The amoung of homwork given doesn't depend on the quality of the teacher, it's how good the teacher actually teaches. Also, my french teacher gives lots of homework and she's a horrible teacher.

Professor Longbottom

As a teacher, I think Neville would be the 'smart' person's 'favourite teacher'. I believe he would be kind, fair, and understanding. His strictness would most likely be low-moderate, as Neville's a pretty laid-back guy. He's nice, but not a COMPLETE pushover, as we see in DH. I can see him taking away points for missed homework and a detention for messing around in class and hurting someone; on the other end of the spectrum, I can imagine Neville making a crack back at someone giving cheek (or just blushing) and laughing along with the class at a harmless prank.

I agree that pre-DH Neville wouldn't write an autobiography, not only is he far too young, but he wouldn't think he'd done anything of note whatsoever. Even later in his life, I see him as being extremely self-deprecating and far more likely to emphasise other people's contributions over his own. That said, he would nonetheless be justifiably proud of his contribution to the war.

I don't think he would write an autobiography off his own bat, but if approached by a publisher, he would probably do it. I can certainly see a wizarding publisher being interested in his story and persuading him to write it. He could also see it as an opportunity to give a public account of the life of his parents and ensure they get the recongnition in the wizarding world they deserve.

It would have to be some time after the war, when he is settled in his job and family life, but it is certainly not impossible to see him do it. It's also something I would love to read!

"What if strange things happened all the time?"
"Thatíd be very strange."
"No, thatís the point, itíd be normal."

Allan Ahlberg

Ever wondered what would have happened if Voldemort had chosen his enemy differently? Read the Neville Longbottom saga:

I think he'd be very hands-on as a parent and want to spend as much time with his kids as possible, knowing what it's like to be deprived of a parent-child relationship, as he was. He'd want to make sure his own kids received as much love as possible. In that way, he might be a bit overwhelming for them, but his experience as a teacher would come in handy. He would know how to discipline his children properly, and also he would have plenty of practise in how to deal with teenagers and their variable moods. Being a teacher by no means guarantees being a good parent, but having been raised by teachers myself, I would say it probably helps.

"What if strange things happened all the time?"
"Thatíd be very strange."
"No, thatís the point, itíd be normal."

Allan Ahlberg

Ever wondered what would have happened if Voldemort had chosen his enemy differently? Read the Neville Longbottom saga:

Do I believe that Neville would be a good father? Yes, I most certainly do - Neville is kind-hearted, loving guy, one who would be certainly be a doting father, for almost no more reason than because he would long for his child to have the father that he himself had never had the chance to have. Do I believe that it would come naturally or easy for him? Not a chance.

I don't mean to sound demeaning for him, because everybody has to adjust to being a new parent - it's not the easiest job in the world, one of the best but most difficult, in my opinion (though I'm not a parent, but I do have older siblings raising their own children and know that it can not be simple). When their children have a problem, some people have the ease of being able to look back to the time when they had that problem (or a similar one) when they were that age and to remember how their parents had helped them, to figure out if what the parents did helped or not.

Neville, however, does not have that advantage. Of course, he had his grandmother, but I doubt she ever equaled out to quite taking the full out role of a parent. She raised him, yes, but unlike if he had been adopted by another family with a mum and a dad, he was raised by a grandmother, not a parent - and those are quite different roles. I think, as each new situation arose in being a father, he would feel awkward, even a bit afraid. I think the thought, Dear God, how do I handle this? might have crossed his mind a time or two. (Even though, I suppose it goes through every parents mind).

I even think that Neville, prior to becoming a father or when his wife was pregnant, might be scared that he wouldn't make a good father, because he would have simply no idea how to be a father. I think a lot of men probably have those fears, but for Neville - who never had a father of his own - those fears would be intensified. I know he gained a lot of confidence and spunk in DH, but I don't think all of his awkwardness or uncertainty about himself would have disappeared entirely. Just because he was brave in war didn't mean that he would be utterly brave in everything else in life - including dating and women and all that other stuff that men worry about. A bit of that awkwardness would have remained. He would no longer let it control him, no, but it will a battle that I think he won't quite conquer in his lifetime.

So, yes, that awkwardness would still appear as a father. He would be scared as he went along, afraid that he would mess up, but after awhile (or after something in the story occurred) he would have to realize that not every father quite knows what they're doing. He would just learn to relax and love his kids and try to be the best father he could be. He would eventually learn that, yes, he can be a good father. (even though, if your story doesn't deal with his wife's pregnancy, you could probably avoid this all together, since he would have already reached this point).

However, whatever time your story takes place, Neville's awkwardness should still remain at moments, like when he has to give his son 'the talk' (that would be a hilarious scene it itself) or when he learns his daughter as her first boyfriend.

But, yes, I believe, like most everyone else, that Neville would be a superb father who would be very involved with his kids and would never, not for one second, allow his kids to forget that he loved them (even to the point where he is quite embarrassing). And there wouldn't be anything he would do for his child.

To sum it up, yes, Neville would be a good father, but it wouldn't always come easily, but, in my opinion, learning to be a father is never easy.

I hope my opinions were helpful and that it wasn't just some meaningless babble. It all was quite a bit more simply in my head than when I tried to type it out.

Neville, Herbology and Weaknesses

The Longbottoms are probably a rich, old Wizarding family, so that before Neville takes up the Hogwarts job, he may not have to be in a full-time career (like J.Potter, perhaps).

But Neville does not appear to me the kind of person who would sit unemployed even though he may have the family wealth and all.

We know that he takes up the post of Herbology professor 19 years after leaving Hogwarts. My questions are:

- When do you think Neville likely took this job?
- Would he have asked for the post or do you think the Head (McGonagall?) offered it to him?
- Do you think his pre-Hogwarts Professor job would involve herbology in some way, given his interest for the subject?
- What could likely be Neville's weaknesses?